The last Sunday session of the year!

So we completed a couple of time trials last Sunday. I will email you the results by the end of the week. What you can do is use the results to help make your own swim sessions more structured so you get the most out of every session. CSS is an acronym for Critical Swim Speed. It’s an approximation of your lactate threshold speed. Lactate threshold is the point at which lactate starts to accumulate in your blood when exercising giving you that horrible (but very satisfying) sensation of heavy fatigue.

We found your CSS by doing a couple of swim tests over 400m and 200m. It’s not exactly the same as lactate threshold but it will be within a couple of seconds per 100m, which is plenty accurate enough to guide your training. Have a look at the ‘How to Train Using CSS’ section of the Swim Smooth – Training for Swimming web page. There are some challenging sets you might try once a week for the main set in your quality swim session based on your 400m time and swimming at your CSS.

There is snow and icy cold temperatures forecast for this weekend. Unless the Lido is closed the session will be on. We may have to cancel the run if conditions are too slippery underfoot. We will make that call on the day. Some of you crazy people do want to run in the snow however. On Saturday a group are thinking of heading to Epping Forest for a trail run. This is not a coached session just a bunch of crazy people wanting to run in the snow (if it comes). There is a train from Hackney Downs at 8:10am Saturday arriving at Chingford at 8:29am. Too early? There is another train every 15mins otherwise. Obviously if the trains are not running neither will we.

So if you are keen for a trail run leave a message at the end of this blog. Make sure you have appropriate clothing and footwear for a trail run in icy conditions.